His music has influenced many artists over the years including Kanye West and Jay Z. Their song "Gotta Have It" samples three of James' songs: "Don't Tell A Lie About Me and I Won't Tell the Truth About You," "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul" and "My Thang."

Michael Jackson was an enormous fan of his and presented Brown with his BET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. As he spoke about his idol he said, "When I was a child at six-years-old, he was the one I looked up to more than any other entertainer."